


Monsters and Masks

by SWTORpadawan



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Sith vs. Jedi Philosophy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 16:27:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21581284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SWTORpadawan/pseuds/SWTORpadawan
Summary: "The dark side gives me strength, it’s true. But I have my own goals, my own dreams, my own ambitions. And my actions are taken according to my own choice.”
Relationships: Male Sith Inquisitor/Ashara Zavros
Kudos: 20





	1. Monsters and Masks

**Author's Note:**

> I know I’m not the first to reflect on the fact that mobs in the game generally maintain position until aggroed, even if they have a plain line of sight to your OC hacking their way through their fellows. On a recent play-through, the following story came into my mind.

Deep within the cave in the Kaamas lands on Alderaan, Jedi Padawan Jaynah Lonestar held her ground, even as the sounds of battle – primarily blaster-fire and the occasional screams of agony – echoed through the tunnel.

Every instinct in her body practically cried out to her to run towards the fighting. Her fellow defenders – two more Padawans, Samus and Ghabi. along with a platoon of soldiers from House Organa – were in combat with some unknown invader. They were in danger. Perhaps they were wounded or even killed.

But Jaynah gritted her teeth and stayed at her post. Master Inul’s instructions had been quite strict: She was to protect the master commlink console hidden within the cave, serving as the final line of defense. They had all known that an attack was possible. The cave, after all, was less than a kilometer from the Palace of House Thul, the Sith Empire’s proxies on Alderaan. House Organa, given their long-standing loyalty to the Republic and friendship with the Jedi order, had setup this hidden encampment with Jedi assistance, using it to conduct operations against the Thuls and their Imperial masters. The console behind Jaynah was essentially the lynchpin of their plans and could not be allowed to fall into enemy hands. It would remain safe so long as it remained undiscovered.

Evidently, that was no longer a possibility.

Jaynah wished Master Inul was with them right now, and not back at Organa Palace, advising the Duke. She had sent Inul the emergency message as soon as the attack had started, but she knew it would be awhile before help arrived. Whatever was going on in the outer chambers of the cave, things did not seem to be going in favor of the defenders. Jaynah glanced around herself, trying to remain calm. The chamber she was in was the end of the lit tunnel. Even if she had wanted to retreat to safety, it wouldn’t be an option for her at this point.

Sensing a dark presence finally approaching her position, Jaynah ignited her brilliant green lightsaber – taking comfort in the light it cast in the dark tunnels - and prepared to do battle.

_There is no emotion, there is peace_. Jaynah mentally recited the first line of the Jedi Code, as Master Inul had taught her.

Jaynah and her fellow Padawans had known an excursion by House Thul troops was certainly possible. It was likewise a possibility that Imperial commandos – so-called “military advisors” – would be the ones to find them here. It was even possible, if the Organa defenders and their Jedi protectors were very unlucky indeed, that the Sith themselves might attack them here, a thought Jaynah did not relish, and made the hairs on her neck stand on end. Nevertheless, she felt prepared. 

But the creature who rounded the corner and emerged from the tunnel was a nightmare almost beyond description.

It was massive, standing well over two meters tall, so towering that it had to duck its head until it stepped fully into the chamber. It was humanoid, but only barely. Powerful muscles adorned its nearly bare body, as wore only a primitive loincloth. Its skin was dark and scaly, best described as reptilian more than anything else. Its face was twisted; all sharp fangs and red eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness of the cavern. It carried a massive vibrosword in a single hand, and the weapon dripped with the blood of victims already dispatched.

As a Jedi Padawan, Jaynah was familiar with dozens or even hundreds of species. She had never seen anything remotely like this.

But it wasn’t its appearance that chilled Jaynah’s blood. Trying to gain a sense of the monster through the Force, the creature seemed to resist her attempts.

_No_. Jaynah realized to her horror. _It wasn’t resisting me. It was resisting the **Force itself**._

Just looking upon it felt so **wrong**.

It was at that moment the beast let out a roar from its mis-shaped mouth and charged her.

Jaynah had always prided herself on her combat ability with her lightsaber. Inul and her other masters had praised her talent, and she had always been confident that she could defend herself and others. That was largely why she had been chosen to protect the communications array.

She was a Jedi. She wouldn’t give in to fear.

She met the monster’s charge, her lightsaber meeting his vibrosword. She barely blocked his first attack; the creature’s strength was immense, and his blade held up against her saber. Most likely, its alloy was woven with cortosis metal. Again and again, their weapons met. She had initially been hoping that while it clearly held the advantage in strength, that perhaps she held the edge in agility, speed and skill.

That hope was rapidly fading. The monster was at least as quick as she was, and far more vicious.

Jaynah inevitably started to give ground.

The monster was relentless. It had the advantage, and it plainly knew it. It didn’t even need both hands to manipulate the sword it wielded. More, it seemed almost elated at the fight. If its twisted mouth could even form a smile, she suspected it would be grinning. Jaynah felt herself starting to tire, as she expended more and more energy just to hold it off.

Then she felt the cave wall behind her. She had run out of room to fall back.

Jaynah’s stoic resolve only slipped for a fraction of a second from the distraction. But that was all the opening her opponent needed.

Letting out a growl, their weapons locked together, the beast reached out with its enormous free palm, grasping Jaynah’s hands as they clutched her lightsaber hilt. In a single motion, they slammed her hands and her lightsaber against the rocky wall of the cavern.

Jaynah let out a cry as the bones in her right hand shattered, the damaged lightsaber shutting down and falling from her grip. She fell to her knees as the monster let her drop, clutching her wounded fingers gingerly. She glanced upward, watching the creature raise its blade to finish her off. Wounded and exhausted, she was unable to gather the Force to defend herself.

She was finished. 

With the last of her strength, Jaynah managed to turn out the pain and fear of what was about to come.

“There is no death. There is the Force.” She recited the final line of the code, bitterly. She hoped it was so.

Just then, a clear voice called out from the tunnel.

“Khem! No.”

The monster – did the voice call it a _Khem_? – froze in mid-stroke, its blade mere inches from Jaynah’s lithe neck. 

Its massive head turned to look behind it and it growled in frustration, saying something in a language she didn’t recognize. It was only then that Jaynah managed to look past it and catch a sight of the one who had commanded it to freeze.

She saw a man step into the chamber, one with a slight build and long dark robes that fell to his ankles. His face was concealed by a strange and foreboding skull-mask that enclosed his entire head, complete with a metal face plate and what appeared to be breathing slits around the mouth and nose. It effectively concealed his eyes as well as any other feature. The dark robes he wore covered his entire body but did not appear to restrict his movement. He wore a utility belt around his waist, not unlike Jaynah’s own, with a lightsaber clipped to it.

Even if she didn’t feel him through the Force, she’d know immediately that he was a Sith. 

“You heard me, Khem.” The Sith spoke sternly, his words slightly distorted (and perhaps more menacing) through the mask. “She is defeated. Now stand guard, please, in case one of those Organa commandos turns up behind us.”

Reluctantly, the monster stepped away from Jaynah, letting out a low growl as it passed the Sith. It finally came to a stop several meters away, effectively blocking the cave tunnel. The Sith simply sighed, making his way to where Jaynah was still sitting. Despite the Sith standing directly in front of her, the young Padawan found herself starting to breathe again.

“I must apologize for Khem.” The Sith spoke casually, crossing his arm an offering her a courtly bow, the kind that she had seen used in Organa Palace. “In his defense, he waited literally thousands of years to terrorize and consume Jedi again. Really, he’s quite famished.”

Jaynah glared up at the Sith, trying to keep the fear from her voice.

“You’re going to kill me.”

The Sith made a sound through the mask, and it took Jaynah a second to realize he had clucked his tongue in a ‘tisk tisk’ reproach.

“Use your reason, Padawan. If I had wanted you dead, I would have allowed Khem to finish you off.” The Sith’s tone almost sounded mirthful. No doubt he was mocking her.

Jaynah bit her lip, her brow furrowing.

“Then you’re going to take me prisoner. Interrogate me and torture me for information, then try to turn me to the dark side.” She felt her resolve start to grow as she convinced herself of the situation. She had to show him she wasn’t an easy mark.

“I won’t break.”

“Really, is that what I’m supposed to do?” the Sith tilted his head at her. “I suppose many Sith might attempt such a thing. But I’m not them, and even if I were, I’m on something of a schedule. Appearances to the contrary, my primary purpose here is not to assist House Thul in their local affairs. I was unfortunately compelled to aid them by a rather demanding Moff. All very tedious, you see. Alderaan is a pleasant world to visit, I’m sure, but I’m here on business. Anything that extends my stay on this world longer than necessary is interfering with my goal.” 

Jaynah still wasn’t sure if she could believe anything he said. He was probably trying to manipulate her. The masters had always warned her about that. Still, while he was speaking, he wasn’t causing harm to herself or others. Her hand was still a mess. She’d been trying to use her Jedi training to deal with the injury, but the most she’d managed so far was to ease the pain. She needed more time.

“Then why are you on Alderaan?” she asked.

“Ah, now. That would be telling, Padawan.” He seemed amused. “Suffice to say that which I seek has nothing to do with the Jedi, your Republic or the conflict for Alderaan.”

He was trying to persuade her of his intent. But why?

For the moment, another thought was gnawing at her.

“Did you kill the others?” she finally asked.

“Hmm? Oh, your friends outside.” The Sith glanced back out the tunnel where his monster was still brooding. “Well, I’m afraid Khem got to your Nautolan before I could intervene. Far from sating him, it merely stirred his hunger, hence he sought you out.” He paused and she wondered if he was going to taunt her somehow over Ghabi’s death. Instead he surprised her. “I regret the loss of her life.”

Jaynah’s eyes dropped in sadness. She’d only known Ghabi for a few months, but she’d been a good friend. 

“Regarding the lovely blonde human, she is merely unconscious. She suffered a minor concussion when I Force pushed her into the cavern wall, but I then ensured she would suffer no greater damage. That’s why my dramatic entrance was delayed.”

“As for the Organa troopers, they either fought to the death or fled on foot.” He sighed regretfully. “Apparently, many people have second thoughts about surrendering to a Sith.”

“The Sith have no one to blame but themselves for those ‘second thoughts’.” Jaynah snapped at him impetuously.

The Sith simply tilted his head at her. “Perhaps it is so.”

The admission took Jaynah by surprise. She grew quiet, trying to determine how to proceed from here.

It was the Sith who finally broke the silence.

“You were brave to stand up to Khem for as long as you did.” He said.

Much to her own surprise and embarrassment, Jaynah felt her cheeks turn red at the compliment. She bit her lip again, not trusting herself not to say something foolish.

“Yet you didn’t come when you heard the fighting.” He observed.

Jaynah turned away in shame. Rationally, given how easily she had been defeated, she doubted her presence with the others would have been enough to turn the tide. This Sith was obviously very powerful to command the monster who had defeated her, and to dispatch so many soldiers alongside two trained Jedi Padawans. Even though she knew she shouldn’t have felt any need to justify herself to him, she couldn’t quite restrain herself.

I had orders.” She said finally, stung by her failure. “To stay and protect the commlink at all cost.”

“Ah.” The Sith reflected. “I appreciate the sense of prioritization, but strategically, it seems a poor move. Any force strong enough to fight through the other defenders would surely be enough to overwhelm you, no matter how bravely you fought.” He sighed. “Well, don’t worry, Padawan. In my time, I’ve received foolish orders, too.”

Jaynah’s cheeks went red again, this time in anger. “Master Inul is not foolish!” she stammered. “She’s one the wisest masters in the Jedi Order!”

The Sith tilted his head again.

“One of the wisest masters in the Jedi Order commanded three young Padawans to defend a position virtually guaranteed to be attacked, supported by only a handful of Organa troopers.” He reflected, in a tone that managed to avoid sounding insulting. “All while knowing full well that there were Sith, Mandalorians and other Imperial troops nearby who might be called upon to lead the attack on said position. Even the Thuls knew full well about this cave; they simply lacked the resolve to attack directly.” 

He paused, letting his words sink in.

“In your master’s defense, I suppose there’s no way she could have predicted that a sole Sith acolyte would have a dashade shadow assassin at his command.”

Jaynah had, by now, turned away again. The Jedi had always taught her to process information free of emotions, and she was having difficulty rejecting his words out of hand. Her mind had noted what he had called Khem; a ‘dashade shadow assassin’. She’d never heard of one of those. Maybe if she saw Tython again, she could look them up in the Jedi Archives.

For the moment, she had greater concerns.

“Did you really help Samus?” she asked quietly, still concerned for her friend.

The Sith nodded.

“She’ll have a bruise on the back of her head for a few days, but otherwise she’ll be fine. I gave her a mild sedative after healing her. Nothing nefarious, I assure you. I simply didn’t want her interrupting me before I left.”

Jaynah blinked.

“You … healed her?”

“I did.” 

“Why?” Jaynah stammered. “How?”

The Sith tilted his head again. She imagined he had an amused expression on his face behind his mask.

“Well, first as to the ‘why’, I healed her because her death or permanent damage would not have served my purpose, as I see it.” He sounded very much like one of Jaynah’s early teachers on Tython, patiently explaining an abstract philosophical concept. “As to the ‘how’, well, I must admit that the dark side is sorely lacking in healing abilities. But I do not limit myself to those skills taught by my order. In my travels, I have learned all knowledge is worth having.”

Jaynah tried to wrap her mind around what he was saying.

“But I didn’t think Sith could use light side abilities.” She protested.

“Oh?” he asked. “Does that mean Jedi never call upon dark side abilities?”

“Of course they don’t!” she exclaimed defensively.

The Sith didn’t say anything to that, just continuing to look down at her. Jaynah wondered if he was raising an eyebrow at her beneath his mask or making some other incredulous expression. She suddenly wished she could see his face so she could at least try to read his expressions.

She felt young and foolish. Blast him.

“I mean, I know some Jedi have… stumbled from the path…”

“Exactly.” The Sith opened his hands wide, as if pleased she had arrived at the point. “They made a choice to use an ability not normally endorsed by their Order. Usually while in a state of emotional distress. Likewise, I can generally only make use of healing abilities when in a state of relative calm.”

Jaynah reflected on that.

“Don’t your Masters object?” she finally asked.

“Well, my current Master is, perhaps, more open-minded and results-oriented than some. But the simpler explanation, my dear Padawan, is that people can’t object to something as long as they don’t know about it.”

“Oh.” Jaynah was certain that this was the strangest conversation she’d ever had. If she lived to see tomorrow, she’d have to meditate on this to process everything.

The Sith meanwhile, dropped to a knee, allowing her to look at him levelly.

“Here. Give me your hand.” He reached out an open palm.

Jaynah’s defenses suddenly raised again as she pulled away from him, wrapping her broken hand into her robes.

“Why?” she asked defensively, distrust apparent in her eyes.

The Sith paused at that, letting out a slow sigh.

“Because there is nothing I could do to harm you if you gave me your hand that I can’t do to you without it.” He finally said. “So really, you have nothing to lose.”

She tried to find some fault with his reasoning but couldn’t. She was wounded, weaponless and outnumbered. It galled her, but she wasn’t in a position to stop him from doing anything he chose to do.

Slowly, she reached out her broken hand.

He took it into his hands with surprising gentleness, slowly, tenderly extending the broken fingers.

Then he began. Jaynah could feel his concentration as the Force slowly emanated from him, jump-starting her own natural healing process.

Within a minute, it was done.

“Here. Try it now.” He said, releasing her hand.

Slowly, Jaynah took her hand back, testing it and flexing her fingers. It was still sore but was certainly mended.

“I… thank you.” She finally said.

“You are welcome.” He replied. “Would you like to stand?”

Jaynah was suddenly quite aware that she’d spent several minutes now sitting on the floor of a rather dirty cave. She felt self-conscious. 

“Yes. I would.”

He rose to his feet, then offered her his hand. After a moment’s hesitation, she accepted it, and he helped her up.

The Sith released her hand, and she swallowed nervously.

“What now?”

“Well. Are you going to try and interfere with my business with that commlink console?”

Jaynah shifted her feet. She felt stiff and was trying to resist the urge to stretch. She wondered if he was teasing her.

“You know I can’t stop you.” She said quietly. It hurt to admit that out loud.

“That’s not what I asked you.” He replied.

She looked up at him, now almost sure he was teasing her.

“I won’t.”

“Thank you.” He bowed at the waist, then turned towards the console.

Here it was. He had turned his back to Jaynah.

She considered striking out at him through the Force. She didn’t think for even a moment that she could beat him; much less the dashade still standing nearby. But maybe she could stop him from retrieving the data he wanted from the commlink, perhaps by damaging the console. It would go badly for her in the end, she was sure. Death or worse. But she didn’t feat that end anymore. Perhaps she could salvage Organa’s efforts to defeat House Thul on this day.

But she’d promised she wouldn’t interfere, so she didn’t. He proceeded to copy the data.

“To be completely honest with you, Padawan, I’ve found working with House Thul rather distasteful myself.” He spoke candidly even as he worked the machine. “Jorad – their supposed leader and Lord – lacks the intelligence or courage to even deal with the problems in his own backyard, much less bring peace and stability to an entire war-torn planet. He requires constant hand-holding just to keep afloat.” He clucked his tongue reproachingly again. “Still, all of us are asked to do things we find distasteful, yes? Especially in times of war.” 

With the information downloaded to a datapad, he turned towards her. “Don’t you agree?”

“Yes.” She swallowed. “I think I know what you mean.”

“Well then, that appears to be that.”

She couldn’t let the burning question go unasked.

“Why did you tell me all of this? Why are you being kind to me?”

The Sith tilted his head again.

“For two reasons, really.”

“First, I would like for you to convey a message to your masters. As I told you, my business on Alderaan concerns neither the Jedi nor the Republic. I have no interest in the struggle for this world. I was drawn into this minor operation against my will, and I plan to avoid all this going forward.”

“Please tell them all of this going forward. Please tell them I don’t care about your Order or the conflict between the dark and the light. I simply wish to go about my business in the galaxy. As long as they don’t interfere with me, I will attempt to not interfere with them.”

She nodded slowly. “I’ll deliver the message… there was a second reason?”

He tilted his head.

“Honestly, I never get a chance to actually speak to a Jedi. Usually its all lightsabers and lightning storms and Khem trying to eat people. It was enlightening to actually speak to one of you without all of that unpleasantness.”

“I… okay.” She finally answered. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Thank you for listening to me prattle.”

“Just… one more question?” she finally asked.

He made a sound that she suspected was a chuckle through the mask. “Alright.”

“Why do you serve the Empire?”

He tilted his head. “Why do you oppose it?”

“Well, because it makes war.” She offered.

“As does the Republic.”

“Because it seeks to destroy everything we value, our way of life.”

“Based on our history recordings, the Republic has successfully driven the Sith and their empire to the brink of destruction on multiple occasions over thousands of years.”

“Then because the Sith are slaves of the dark side.”

“And the Jedi are slaves to the light.”

She felt frustration building up. She knew the Sith Empire was wrong, but she had a hard time forming arguments to that effect at this moment.

“Because the Empire enslaves alien species.” She finally offered.

That gave him pause. He said nothing for a long moment, then he finally reached up behind his mask and carefully undid a latch.

He took the mask off.

Beneath it, a blue face looked back at her, with red eyes and jet-black hair. He was heavily scarred, with lacerations criss-crossing across his cheeks; clearly this was a man who had faced considerable abuse and even torture in his time. She was surprised at how young he appeared; he was only a year or two older than she was. She had the strange thought that he was rather good-looking, despite his scars. (She quickly banished that thought.) Still, the face was somehow rather friendly and pleasant. 

He smiled at her.

“You’re a Chiss.” She said in surprise. 

“So I am.” He answered. “My own people exiled my family and I when I was a child, through no fault of our own. My mother was taken from me, and later my sister. The Empire branded me a slave, its true. But no Jedi arrived to free me from my servitude, or from the pains fate had in store for me.”

“It was the Sith who freed me, my dear Padawan. The Sith offered me the chance at the power to seek my own destiny. Whether that chance proves to be an illusion or no, a Sith is what I am. The dark side gives me strength, it’s true. But I have my own goals, my own dreams, my own ambitions. And my actions are taken according to my own choice.”

“When I meet my end, as we all must, I will do so as a free man.”

With that, he moved to put the mask back on, securing it tightly around his head. Jaynah was left in stunned silence.

“Neither of us can be sure whose reinforcements will get here the fastest. I would suggest that I leave here first, then you wait two minutes before following.” His voice was once more filtered through the mask. He paused then withdrew a stim-pack from his belt. “This should be enough to get your friend on her feet, at least. You can use her lightsaber in case you are attacked before Organa comes for you.”

“Thank you.” She offered sincerely. 

“You are welcome.”

He turned to depart. The dashade, looking terribly bored by this point, moved to follow him.

“Wait!” Jaynah called out.

The Sith turned and regarded her.

“I… I don’t even know your name.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “My name among the Chiss I’ve long since abandoned. I call myself ‘Ozibamnu’ now.” he paused. “You may call me ‘Ozi’, if you wish. That is what the pirate who pilots my ship insists on calling me.”

Jaynah thought for a moment.

“Thank you, again. Ozi.” She finally said, giving him the bow of a Jedi Padawan. “My name is Jaynah. Jaynah Lonestar.”

He bowed in turn.

“Jaynah. That is a lovely name.”

Jaynah felt some of the pink returning to her cheeks.

“May the Force be with you, Ozi.” She said finally.

“And may the Force serve you well, Jaynah.” He answered.

With that, they parted company.

END


	2. Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashara Zavros, Jedi Padawan, tries to learn more about the Sith Lord to whom she's bound herself.

**_Author’s Notes_ ** _: I am not conforming to the norms of Chiss aging in my head-canons. For the record, Ashara is 21, here, while Ozibaumnu is 22._

* * *

“My lord… may I ask you a personal question?”

Ashara Zavros, Jedi Padawan, spoke even as she continued to trudge a few steps behind her ostensible master, Lord Kallig, across the icy plains of Hoth. The two were heading back to their shuttle at Dorn Base after successfully seeking out the Force ghost of the ancient Sith Lord Horak-Mul and persuading him to allow himself to be bound to Kallig. All this with the ultimate goal of challenging Darth Thanaton, who had been hounding Kallig, Ashara, and their crew for as long as Ashara had been with them.

Hoth was barely habitable; it was essentially a freezing orb of snow and ice floating in space. Fortunately, both Ashara and Kallig were well-dressed for the frosty climate, wearing heavy cloaks over their normal robes and thermal garments beneath. Kallig – with the customary generosity she’d come to expect from him – had even provided her with thermal sleeves for her _lekku_ and montrals. She couldn’t imagine where he had come by the garments that seemed to fit her perfectly and were clearly designed for a Togruta like herself. (Perhaps he had met a synthweaver in all his travels?) Regardless she was grateful for the protection and touched by his attentiveness.

The cold had proven to be too much for their speeders, so they’d ultimately been forced to park them a few kilometers short of the base and were now heading the rest of the way on foot.

(Tauntauns would have been more practical, Ashara knew. But the smelly, hairy beasts bothered her and even Lord Kallig hadn’t been keen on them.)

Kallig paused in his step and turned towards Ashara. He was still wearing his black and silver skull-mask, one Ashara now knew was the legacy of the infamous Kallig bloodline. The mask gave him a foreboding look, an appearance that he’d carefully cultivated, he’d later confided to Ashara. Allies and enemies alike responded more promptly – and more predictably – to the mask than to the Sith Lord’s actual face. Most who encountered him knew him only by his growing reputation; the man beneath – a relatively young Chiss – was ‘unimportant’ in the grand scheme of things, he’d claimed.

(This was especially important, Ashara noted, considering Chiss serving in the Sith Empire often faced considerable prejudices, even those among the Sith.)

Ashara, personally, much preferred him without the mask.

“Only if you promise to remember that you don’t have to call me ‘my lord’ when we’re in private, Ashara.” Kallig’s tone was gently teasing, and she could almost feel his slight smile behind it. “Call me Ozibaumnu, or you could even follow Andronikus’ lead and call me ‘Ozi’, if you like. Its only in front of others that we need to worry about titles and formality.” He gave her a casual shrug. “Such things are quite important among the Sith and Imperials.”

She was touched by his consideration, but she didn’t fail to observe that although he nominally served the Sith Empire and was a Sith himself, he didn’t personally identify himself as an Imperial.

_That is an important distinction._ Ashara observed, filing that nugget of information away for later.

“Okay. Ozibaumnu.” she gave him a hopeful smile. “I was just wondering… what does a Sith Lord who isn’t committed to the dark side do for fun?”

He’d turned towards her fully now, his head tilting to the side. He had shown her a great deal of patience thus far, arguably far more than her old Jedi masters had. Ashara couldn’t imagine asking that kind of question to Master Ryen or Master Ocera. Indeed, it wouldn’t have ever occurred to her to do so.

But Lord Kallig was different. Different than the Jedi. Different than Elios Maliss, that Sith acolyte on Taris, and different from ever other Sith she’d met since then. Different than how she ever imagined a Sith Lord ever could be.

Different from _anyone_ who Ashara had ever met, really.

“Fun, hmm?” he queried.

“Yeah. Fun. You know. For recreation. For enjoyment. Just… you know… _fun_.” She emphasized. How could she explain the concept of fun to someone who she was starting to suspect had never experienced it?

Lord Kallig seemed to be chewing something over. He finally reached up and undid the clasp on his mask, pulling it up and over his head.

Ashara had seen only two examples of Chiss in person before she’d met Ozibaumnu, and both had been allied with the Imperial military, seen from a distance. After she’d joined the Sith’s crew, she recalled finding his red eyes unnerving at first, but she had become much more comfortable with them over time. The stark contrast of the red against his dark blue skin was rather exotic. His face was heavily scarred; Ashara knew the marks were from his years as a slave but had never pressed him on the details. (She imagined the stories must have been horrifying.) Still, she privately admitted to herself that his high cheek bones and raven widow’s peak hair were not unattractive. When she’d first met him, of course, he had been wearing his Kallig mask and from the way he talked, she’d imagined him being … well, much older than he was. Later, when he’d revealed his actual face back on his ship, it was only then she realized first that he was Chiss and second that he was only a year or two older than she was.

Ozibaumnu often seemed a completely different man to Ashara in private. Or without the mask. Or when she thought of him as ‘Ozibaumnu’ and not ‘Lord Kallig’. She was only now starting to understand that he needed to put on the show of being a ‘dark and imperious’ figure to discourage other Sith and Imperials from targeting him or his crew. This was the culture of the Sith Empire as it existed, and it was a culture that Ashara hoped Kallig would someday overturn.

Now free of the mask, the Sith Lord exhaled slowly into the cold, icy air, his breath visible in a small puffy cloud. Ashara recalled that Chiss were naturally adapted to colder climates. Indeed, they’d seen dozens of Imperial-aligned Chiss on Hoth during their time here. Far more than she’d ever seen before. She’d privately wondered why he hadn’t revealed himself as one of them. Shouldn’t he welcome the presence of his own species, after spending so long in the Empire?

“Well, I don’t really know.” He finally said. “I have vague memories of… playing with my elder sister when I was very little.”

His voice grew wistful for the briefest of moments, and Ashara, feeling charmed at the thought of Ozibaumnu as a small child, started to smile.

“I suppose that must have been fun.”

The feeling wouldn’t last.

“When we were separated, however, well, that’s when the Sarnovas bought me.” She could hear the sting of bitterness and pain in his voice. “I had… duties and lessons. I suppose I may have enjoyed some of those more than others. I read extensively in their library when I could find time. And I found great relief with the biochemistry lab, but that was primarily to manage Lady Sarnova’s gardens. I’ve kept that up, as you’ve seen on the ship. I’m even proficient enough now to produce custom stim-packs, and I do find the challenge relaxing.” He paused. “But I don’t think I would call it ‘fun’, exactly. It’s just something engaging I do to keep myself mentally sharp.” 

Ashara felt her heart start to break hearing about the life that Ozibaumnu had led. It was entirely unfair and put the difficulties of her own life into context. The young Sith Lord had turned away from her now, looking off into the distance at one of Hoth’s moons. Though there was still daylight out, night would be falling quite soon. Still, she was hesitant to interrupt him, enjoying this level of openness. There was time.

“It couldn’t have been so different for you, could it?” the Sith Lord asked, turning his head towards her slightly. “The Jedi aren’t exactly known for providing their padawans with a spirited and carefree upbringing.”

Ashara bit her lip at that. She had enjoyed her time as a Jedi, no matter how frustrated she’d grown when she felt like her Masters had been holding her back.

“Well, we were given some free time each day.” She finally said. “To learn or relax however we chose. A few of us watched holovids. Some of the others meditated or studied records on loan from the Jedi Archives. I liked sparring with the others, but none of them could really keep up with me so I usually went exploring outside the enclave where I might run into rakghouls or bogstalkers or some other local predator. I didn’t seek conflict with any of them, but I didn’t back down when they attacked, either.” Her lips twisted into a guilty smile.

“None of them could stop me.” She knew her pride was a weakness, but she couldn’t quite help it. “I guess… I guess it was fun. For me, anyway.”

Ozibaumnu chuckled.

“I believe you. I’ve seen your power and skills first-hand.” He gave her a grin. “You’re a remarkably talented warrior.”

Ashara blushed in embarrassment at the compliment, looking away self-consciously.

“Uhm. Thank you.” She offered lamely. Why did it bother her so much, him seeing her flustered?

Seeming to sense the sudden awkwardness, Ozibaumnu turned away again. Ashara liked that about him. He respected her boundaries and didn’t push when she was uncomfortable with something. He seemed to ‘get’ her in a way other people didn’t.

“Anyway, after I… ‘left’ the Sarnovas’ service, I began my Sith training. I knew full well I was already well behind the other students, and that my Chiss heritage would make me a target for a great many of the acolytes and overseers. I had to work twice as hard and to watch my back. The others took enjoyment from tormenting others or in the failures of one of our fellows. That’s… not something that interested me. So I suppose I didn’t really get to do anything for its own satisfaction.”

He paused and Ashara could have sworn she could feel his mind sort through its memories.

“Since then, well, first I was performing missions for Zash and then since her… transformation, I’ve had to deal with Thanaton. My companions – prior to meeting you, that is – have been a Dashade shadow-killer whose hobbies include ruthlessly devouring Force-users, and Andronikus, who enjoys acts of piracy and games of _pazaak_. And I can only play so much _pazaak_. It’s a reasonably engaging pastime, but not something I enjoy in and of itself.”

Ashara had been listening to him talk about his life when inspiration struck her. Noting that his back was still turned to her, she crouched down and put her plan in motion.

“But I’m afraid I’m not very experienced with the concept of ‘fun’. Not in a long time, anyway.” 

He seemed to ponder that reality for a long moment.

“Oh, Ozibaumnu?” Ashara finally asked innocently.

“Yes, Ashara?” he attentively turned back in her direction.

The snowball struck Ozibaumnu square in the chest, crumbling on impact, but nevertheless leaving the Sith Lord covered in a good amount of snow as his startled eyes widened.

Ashara covered her mouth with her hands to smother her laughter, eyes wide with mirth as the Chiss blinked and looked down at himself.

“I’m so sorry!” she cried out, still desperately trying to stifle her giggles, and out of breath. “It’s just… you didn’t know what ‘fun’ was and you were just standing there… and I wanted to show you… I’m sorry!”

She closed her eyes, trying to recompose herself with her Jedi training and utterly failing. Honestly, she was still a little shocked by her own conduct. She’d never in a million years have even thought about throwing a snowball at _any_ of her old Jedi Masters. Plus, she genuinely liked and respected Ozibaumnu. He was intelligent and knowledgeable treated her with respect and kindness and offered her as much freedom as he could. He’d let her express herself and her abilities in ways she’d never been able to before, and as a result she felt she was becoming more proficient at lightsaber dueling with every encounter and was growing far more refined with the Force overall. And what was more he spoke _with_ her, not _at_ her. About the Force, the Empire, the Republic, the Jedi, the Sith… everything. She’d enjoyed it, more than she’d like to admit.

It felt like no one was holding her back anymore. Instead, Ozibaumnu was helping her move _forward_.

She really should be kinder towards him for all he’d done for her. More respectful. She lowered her hands from her face and sighed, trying to prepare a more sincere – and heartfelt – apology. 

And that was the moment Ashara felt the snowball hitting her in the face.

The Togruta sputtered as her hands brushed away the snow, looking up in disbelief at her assailant. 

Ozibaumnu, _the_ Lord Kallig, Heir to Tulak Hord and the Great Dragon of the Cult of the Screaming Blade, was grinning mischievously at her in an expression Ashara had never seen on his face before. His hand was extended outward, palm-side down. A few inches beneath it she saw a new snowball being formed in mid-air, just out of the reach of his hand, and immediately realized that while she’d been distracted trying to smother her laughter, he’d sculpted the first snowball and had flung it at her just by using the Force.

Now he was plainly getting ready to send another her way.

It was so playful it was almost charming.

She was so startled and then entranced at the sight that she barely had time to duck her head from the second snowball as it flung itself towards her, letting out an ‘eek’ as it narrowly sailed over her montrals. 

She glanced back at him. Ozibaumnu continued grinning and promptly reached out and started forming a third snowball.

Ashara felt a surge of adrenaline as her natural competitive instincts took over. If he was going to throw snowballs at her, she’d defend herself in kind.

She kicked out at the still-forming snowball, then reached down towards the snow to form her own. Ashara knew she couldn’t match Ozibaumnu’s telekinesis or other outstanding Force powers, but she didn’t think he was her equal in physical prowess. She found herself smirking as she hurled her half-made snowball back at him.

The Sith Lord deftly dodged the projectile by deftly turning his body, in an elegant display of an economy of motion. The minimal amount of effort had been expended. Then with a widening grin and a gesture of his hand, the snow all around them started to rise from the ground.

Realizing the danger, Ashara took off, calling upon her Force speed to embark on a dead run away from him almost faster than the eye could follow. She’d realized immediately what Lord Kallig – _Ozibaumnu_ , she reminded herself – was trying to do. She’d just have to be fast enough to overcome it. As she pushed herself, the ground behind her rose in a veritable tidal wave of snow, getting larger and larger as it pursued. Just when it threatened to overtake her, she adjusted her trajectory, evading its path.

The Jedi padawan had been the best combatant in her class on Taris. Maybe one of the best in all the Jedi order. She knew that as powerful as she was, she couldn’t face Ozibaumnu directly like this.

But even as the wave of snow turned and pursued her, she had a plan.

Ashara continued to alter her direction, ever so slightly.

Ozibaumnu was incredibly powerful and intelligent, but if she timed it perfectly, it was just possible she could find the angle to take him unawares. She risked a glance over her shoulder at him and was rewarded with the sight of a still grinning Sith Lord, reaching out with his hands as he guided the ever-growing wave of snow. By now, it was nearly ten meters high and twice as wide. Despite the cold and the speed she was running at, Ashara could feel the perspiration start to build on her brow as she continued to run, still adjusting her angle.

She had never run so fast in her life, but at the same time, it was so _exciting_.

The shape centered on the Chiss Sith Lord was nearly complete; Ashara was like the free tip of a compass while the wave behind her was drawing the circle.

Just before she reached her starting point – and perhaps seconds away from being overtaken by the wave of snow – she turned her route completely towards him at a hard ninety degree angle and _leapt_ , launching herself towards him with the strength of the Force in a remarkable display of athleticism.

He'd turned towards her, his red, pupil-less eyes wide as they caught hers. She’d have missed the reaction without her Force sensitivity focused so acutely on him. For a fraction of a second, she was certain that her plan had failed, and he would respond with a Force Wave, throwing her back and into a nearby snowbank. Or perhaps he might even lash out with his Force Lightning, which Ashara was certain she could not resist or defend against. Not at this point. 

But the expression on Ozibaumnu’s face was not a grin any longer. Nor was it anger or even shock. His eyes wide as he looked at her with the most serene expression. He looked at peace, with his lips slightly parted as he watched the oncoming Togruta soaring towards him.

This observation registered in Ashara’s mind at the very instant she collided with him, sending both Force users tumbling to the ground in a heap. The Force wave of snow, no longer under the guidance of its master, simply collapsed just short of them, sending up a flurry of flakes.

When the dust settled, Ashara, still breathing heavily, sat up and looked down at Ozibaumnu. He was laying on his back while Ashara was effectively straddling him. The wind had obviously been knocked out at him, but his eyes were still open, and looking up at her.

Ashara swallowed, catching her breath as the feeling of awkwardness set in. “Uhm. You okay?”

He blinked but didn’t turn away. Instead, he just nodded up at her, his eyes still wide and strangely focused. 

Ashara smiled, relived. Then realizing she’d succeeded in her plan, the smile widened into a grin.

“I got you.” she beamed in triumph. It had been the first time she’d bested him in _any_ kind of training.

Ozibaumnu’s didn’t react in the slightest, nor did he move free himself or to push her off of him. In fact, he was only barely breathing as he continued to gaze up at her.

“You’re beautiful.”

The words startled Ashara, as her jaw dropped and her cheeks flushed. He’d always been friendly to her, and they’d even bantered a handful of times. But he’d never said anything to her like that before.

These past several weeks had been a whirlwind for the young Togruta. She’d seen her old masters slain, then had allied with the Sith who’d killed them. She’s left Taris behind, and since then had seen how the growing war between the Republic and the Empire was impacting worlds like Quesh and Hoth. She’d made friends – or at least acquaintances – wish a Sith Lord, a pirate, and a Dashade shadow-killer who was sometimes possessed by a Sith. She had learned new things about herself, experiencing things she’d never imagined and she suspected that her journey of self-discovery was only just beginning. That there were many more lessons ahead.

And as she looked down at his handsome face and felt butterflies in her belly, she wondered if this were one of them. 

The Chiss was still looking up at her, entranced, breathing heavily with his mouth agape. Ashara found herself starting to lean down towards his lips, getting closer and closer…

It was at that point the silence was shattered by a voice that could be heard calling out in the distance.

“My lord!”

Alarmed, Ashara turned towards the sudden intrusion, her hands reflexively going for the lightsabers she kept clipped to her belt.

Rapidly approaching the two from about fifty meters away was a squad of Imperial soldiers, clad in the Empire’s finest cold-weather gear. They were led by an eager man wearing sergeant stripes on his armor, his eyes wide in alarm.

Suddenly very self-conscious of the fact that she was effectively straddling the Sith Lord to whom she owed her allegiance in the middle of a plain of snow, Ashara scrambled to her feet, hastily brushing the snow off her robes. She turned away as her cheeks burned in embarrassment, looking down at her feet. She could only imagine how ridiculous she looked at this moment. 

The soldiers came to a stop a few meters away, the sergeant suddenly uncertain. Each of the squadmates appeared to be surveying the lay of the land. 

“Forgive me, my lord. Dorn Base had a report of a sudden snowstorm… phenomena in this zone. We were concerned you’d been stranded.” 

Ashara remembered that Captain Yudrass of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force now commanded Dorn Base, largely on Lord Kallig’s recommendation. Perhaps these men were here at Yudrass’ request?

Ozibaumnu had, by now, risen to his feet, his back to the soldiers. Ashara watched as the Sith Lord carefully refastened his skull-mask around his head before finally turning to face the sergeant.

“Not at all, sergeant.” Lord Kallig said, his voice once again slightly distorted by the mask. Nevertheless, his tone was clear, firm and commanding. “My apprentice and I were simply enjoying an impromptu training session. But I am most grateful for your concern.”

“Ah.” The sergeant blinked, glancing at Ashara with a nervous look in his eyes and then back to Kallig before swallowing. “Of course, my lord. My apologies. My men and I will return to our patrols.”

Kallig gave a slight nod, effectively dismissing the soldiers. The sergeant gave the order and the men turned westward, back in the general direction of Dorn base.

Finally alone again, Kallig turned to Ashara, his face once again unreadable beneath his mask. 

“That was fun.” He said simply.

Ashara bit her lip at that, and she realized only then that she’d been holding her breath in the presence of the soldiers who had ‘caught’ them. She exhaled, finally smiling softly at him.

“Yes, it was.” She answered quietly.

He gave a nod of his head and she found herself hoping he was smiling beneath the mask.

“Well then. We should get back to it.”

Without another word, the Sith Lord began trekking through the snow, once more headed towards the base.

Ashara watched him for a second, her smile turning into a grin. Then she followed, eager to catch up.

* * *

**_Author’s Notes_** _: Some of my younger readers may not be entirely familiar with how people used to draw precise circles. Now you know._ 😉

_The Ashara Zavros romance in the SI story can be troubling if not approached from the correct direction. One of my goals with this particular character to explore that romance while avoiding the pitfalls._

_I love the idea of the Sith Inquisitor or the Sith Warrior going through most of the game interacting with Sith and Imperials who are unaware you are not human or Pureblood. Its like they can pull the mask off at any time and say “What did you say about Mirialans again?”_

_Ozi is not a big fan of the Chiss Ascendancy. They sent his family into exile and to the Empire, and then did nothing after his mother was killed and he and his sister were enslaved. So he’s not a creature of sentiment with respect to his own species. But he was more accommodating with Yudrass, an NPC on Hoth who I found memorable. This might be the beginning of a reconciliation. Frankly, its too soon to say._

_Finally – I was originally going to name this piece ‘Snowballs’ but opted to change it to avoid any entendre issues. (Some of y’all have dirty minds.)_


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